Pokémon: Farm Story

Up in the sky, the Shiny Pidgeotto, enveloped in a radiant white light, felt as if it had returned to the warmth of its eggshell.

Its body instinctively curled up, eyes tightly shut, wings wrapping around itself.

Within the glow, the Shiny Pidgeotto felt a comforting warmth, like soaking in a hot spring.

It was the same sensation it had experienced just before hatching from its egg—a tingling, almost itchy feeling spreading through its entire body.

To be honest, it wasn’t exactly pleasant.

It felt like tiny insects were crawling all over, even through its muscles.

Especially in its wings.

It was as if its wings had suddenly lost their bones, turning into a soft, boneless mass that was being stretched and reshaped by an invisible force.

It didn’t hurt.

But it definitely felt strange.

Before long, the sensation gradually faded away.

Half-conscious, the Shiny Pidgeotto felt an inexplicable pull, as if something was summoning it.

Its tightly shut eyes slowly opened.

Brilliant sunlight flooded its vision, yet it didn't feel the least bit dazzling.

What lay before it was a vast expanse of blue sky and the distant horizon.

At some point, it had soared to an incredible height.

A surge of exhilaration suddenly welled up in its chest.

It was the same feeling as a martial artist stepping into the world after mastering their craft—an uncontrollable urge to let out a triumphant cry to the heavens.

At that moment, the Shiny Pidgeotto—no, the Shiny Pidgeot—stretched its body slightly.

Due to its perspective, it couldn’t fully see itself.

But as it glanced at its wings, still shimmering in golden brilliance, the Shiny Pidgeot breathed a sigh of relief.

Good. It hadn’t turned into some weird color.

It had heard stories of certain Pokémon with dazzling Shiny forms before evolving, only to end up turning an unfortunate shade of green afterward.

Either a dull, sludge-like green or an overly vibrant, grassy green.

The Shiny Pidgeot didn’t like either.

Its radiant golden feathers were a treasure—if they were lost, it would be a tragedy for the entire world.

The Shiny Pidgeot firmly believed this.

Besides, Zorua-senpai had said so too.

Ah, wait—now it should be "Mew-senpai."

Mew-senpai once said that in the human world, golden shinies are highly sought after.

In the future, there might be many humans bringing their Pokémon over, hoping for it to pass on its genes.

In other words, it could select partners just like ancient emperors flipping through their harem roster!

Ahem, though as the leader of its flock, it already had such privileges.

But this was different!

The former was clearly much more exciting (crossed out).

After briefly testing its newfound speed, Shiny Pidgeot swiftly descended back to the farm.

Speed could be tested anytime.

But right now, there was something far more important at hand.

Natsume had said that if it evolved within a month, it would get a feast!

Though it had evolved on the very last day, that still counted as within a month.

A feast!

Wait for me, I'm coming!

Fueled by the thought of a grand meal, Shiny Pidgeot unleashed the fastest speed of its life.

In the blink of an eye, it landed on the ground—almost too fast, nearly skidding and faceplanting into the dirt.

"Congratulations, Shiny Pidgeot."

Before it had even steadied itself, Natsume's voice reached its ears.

Already overwhelmed with excitement, Shiny Pidgeot felt as if it had been injected with adrenaline.

Unable to wait, it stumbled and hopped over in excitement.

Yes, hopped.

It genuinely hopped and skipped like a little sparrow.

Despite its imposing appearance, Shiny Pidgeot's behavior right now was... rather comical.

Upon reaching Natsume, it eagerly rubbed its head against him, its expression downright flattering.

You wouldn't think a bird could look so obsequious, yet here it was.

"Pidge!"

"I know, I know. I'll prepare your feast tonight."

Stroking Shiny Pidgeot’s sleek feathers, Natsume suddenly had a playful idea.

He began pressing down on the crest atop its head, letting it pop back up, then pressing it down again.

Shiny Pidgeot let Natsume do as he pleased.

After all, this was its golden meal ticket!

As long as it got its feast, who cared if its crest got played with?

If necessary, it could even attempt a full-on aerial backflip.

For food, dignity was irrelevant.

Natsume’s feasts were unlike anything else.

Indescribably delicious.

"Pidge."

Having secured the promise of a feast, Shiny Pidgeot finally lifted its head proudly.

With a high and mighty air, it strutted around, flaunting its golden plumage to the gathered Pokémon.

This was its greatest source of pride.

Sure, it was naturally talented, exceptionally gifted, outstanding, brilliant, quick-witted, wise beyond its years, and an all-around prodigy...

But those were just some of its shining qualities.

Its most outstanding feature was, without a doubt, its golden feathers.

"You've gotten pretty big, huh?"

Patting Shiny Pidgeot’s neck, Natsume was slightly impressed.

A normal Pidgeot wasn’t usually taller than an average adult human.

Even one that reached 1.7 meters was considered quite large.

But his Shiny Pidgeot was taller than he was by a whole head.

By estimate, it was around two meters.

Not as tall as Corviknight, but definitely a giant among Pidgeot.

"Pidge!"

Of course!

Hearing Natsume’s praise, Shiny Pidgeot lifted its head proudly.

Who was it?

Wasn’t it only natural for it to be superior to those common birds?!

Just as it was basking in its own greatness, a massive shadow loomed over it from above.

A large figure descended from the sky, casting a shadow that completely engulfed Shiny Pidgeot.

Blinking in confusion, it looked up—only to see Corviknight tilting its head curiously.

"Pidge."

Ah… It's Corviknight-boss.

Instantly, all the pride drained from Shiny Pidgeot’s posture.

Once upon a time, it had been an arrogant little bird.

Then Corviknight had beaten it senseless.

That trauma was still deeply engraved in its heart.

It didn't even consider resisting.

Unlike the hotheaded, brainless fighters out there, Corviknight was the real deal.

Sure, evolving made it stronger, but not that much stronger.

An opponent it couldn’t beat before was still an opponent it couldn't beat now.

At most, it could struggle a little longer before getting whooped.

Only fools repeatedly seek out beatings.

"Caw-caw."

Not bad, not bad.

Observing the newly evolved Shiny Pidgeot, Corviknight nodded in satisfaction.

Yes, this was indeed its little brother.

Extending one massive wing, it pulled Shiny Pidgeot into a half-embrace, looking absolutely pleased with itself.

"Caw-caw-caw!"

From now on, you handle deliveries, I’ll do transport services. We've got a bright future ahead.

Known as the "Sky Bus," Corviknight was now imparting career advice to the most commonly employed courier Pokémon, Pidgeot.

...Huh?

Shiny Pidgeot was taken aback.

What do you mean deliveries?

Was this really its destiny—evolving through countless hardships just to become a courier?!

Seeing the disbelief in its eyes, Corviknight sympathetically patted its shoulder.

Truth hurt, but most Pidgeot ultimately ended up as either delivery flyers or transport rides.

After all, the only exceptional thing about Pidgeot was its speed.

Everything else? Just average.

As for Mega Pidgeot...

Not everyone could afford high-end evolution stones.

"Caw-caw!"

But hey, you’re lucky—Natsume isn't short on money.

If you suck up to him well enough, he might actually get you one.

Then you'll finally glimpse a higher realm.

Patting Shiny Pidgeot's shoulder, Corviknight spoke with deep sincerity.

As a responsible big brother (Shiny Pidgeot) and little brother (to Natsume), Corviknight felt it had a duty to set Shiny Pidgeot straight.

After all, nobody understood Shiny Pidgeot’s personality better than Corviknight.

It had a bit of a puffed-up ego.

It was the type to get carried away.

A little reality check was necessary.

Corviknight didn’t want to see it getting out of hand.

...Though, honestly, it didn't need to worry.

After witnessing Ting-Lu, Cresselia, and a series of Legendary Pokémon, Shiny Pidgeot knew its place.

Even if it somehow became the strongest Pokémon in the world…

There were still a bunch of god-tier beings above it.

If it was the strongest on earth, then those Legendaries were heaven’s enforcers who could smack it down effortlessly.

"Alright, Corviknight, stop scaring it."

Patting Corviknight’s wing, Natsume motioned for it to step aside.

Corviknight obediently did so.

"I’ll prepare your feast tonight," Natsume said.

"For now, just get used to your evolved body."

For Pokémon, evolution was a miracle of life.

A transformation that should take ages to occur happened in an instant.

But skipping that natural growth phase had its downsides.

Many Pokémon needed time to adjust to their new bodies and develop new battle strategies.

It's like Charmeleon and Charizard.

Before evolving, Charmeleon had decent mobility, with all its attacks based on standing on the ground with its two feet.

But after evolving, Charizard gained a pair of wings.

This meant its battle strategy had to be adjusted.

It wouldn't make sense to keep running on the ground after evolving wings, right? That would be ridiculous.

The same applied to Shiny Pidgeot.

In its Pidgeotto form, it was fast, but only at a moderate level.

Speed was an advantage in battle, of course, but after evolving, speed became Pidgeot's defining attribute.

All battle strategies had to revolve around its extreme speed.

"Pidgeot!"

Nodding, Shiny Pidgeot signaled its understanding.

Although it was eager to feast right away, since Boss Natsume had spoken, it had to obey.

Yes, Shiny Pidgeot had Corviknight as its big brother, but it also had Natsume as its boss.

On the farm, you could have other big brothers.

But you could only have one boss.

And that was Boss Natsume.

This was something Slowking, the newly elected head of the Natsume Fan Club and former vice president, had taught everyone after winning the recent election in the Natsume Forum.

Since it had been acknowledged by the original Pokémon of the farm, everyone naturally followed the rule.

At this rate, Natsume was becoming the boss of a Pokémon gang.

In a way, he had already become someone who could rally countless Pokémon with a single call.

If Natsume raised his arm, a massive group of Pokémon would instantly swarm in from all directions of the farm to deliver a righteous beatdown to his enemies.

Don't ask why a beatdown is righteous.

When it comes to protecting someone important, any means are just and honorable.

Even if you fling something unspeakable at your opponent at supersonic speed, even if you stab them in the back like a sneaky Swellow—

It is still a righteous act.

This was the philosophy Corviknight had developed after reading a series of dark apocalypse novels.

Returning to the present—

After calling out to Natsume, Shiny Pidgeot flapped its wings, turning into an arrow shooting toward the sky, disappearing into the horizon as a tiny black dot.

The powerful gusts from its takeoff made it hard for Natsume to keep his eyes open.

Corviknight was called the "sky bus" because of its steady flight and broad frame.

But in terms of speed, it was no match for Pidgeot.

"Alright, time to go home."

Patting Corviknight, Natsume spoke to Slowking beside him.

From behind him, Mew floated out from wherever it had been hiding.

Its large tail gently hooked around Natsume’s wrist.

It tickled a little.

Natsume instinctively scratched Mew's chin in response.

Like a real cat, Mew squinted its eyes and rolled in the air, purring in delight.

Meanwhile, Mei was packing her luggage.

"Serp?"

Are we heading out?

Lazily sprawled on the bed, Serperior gazed at Mei.

Damn, next time we come back, I'm going to give that stupid bird a good beating.

"Yeah, we've stayed long enough. It's time to set off again."

Stuffing her clothes into her backpack, Mei nodded firmly.

Looking at the wardrobe, she hesitated briefly but didn’t take everything.

She left behind the clothes that weren’t suitable for the current season.

Her presence was evident throughout the room—

A plush toy by the bed, won from a claw machine with Natsume.

A framed photo on the desk, taken during a barbecue party with Natsume.

All these traces showed that Mei had been here.

She didn’t pack everything away to make it seem like she had never been here.

She genuinely loved life on the farm.

She loved everything and everyone here.

This place gave her a sense of contentment, making her think—

Maybe she could stay here forever.

Cuddling with Serperior on a soft, fragrant bed every night.

Seeing Natsume in the morning, chatting with female Indeedee.

Lazing in the open fields, basking in the sun.

Everything here was wonderful.

But it was time to go.

I, Mei, am a Pokémon Trainer.

One day, I might stop. But that day is not today.

"But I should at least say goodbye to Natsume before I leave."

Placing her packed backpack on the bed, Mei opened the window, letting the fresh breeze into the room.

Since she wasn't leaving forever, she didn’t intend to make it a sad farewell.

"Hey!"

"I'm back!"

"Miiru~"

Natsume's voice echoed from downstairs.

Recalling Serperior, Mei slipped into her slippers and hurried downstairs.

"Ah, you're heading out?"

Just as Natsume was about to say something, he noticed Mei had changed back into her traveling outfit.

During her time on the farm, Mei had dressed more casually.

After all, she didn’t need to worry about comfort while traveling.

She only had to think about looking good.

She had mentioned before that she would set out again soon—

First, to challenge the Gym where she had previously suffered defeat.

Then, to capture a Ghost-type Pokémon to improve her team's battle coverage.

If possible, she also wanted to catch a Dragon-type Pokémon.

Most Dragon-types symbolized strength.

But they were also rare.

Even Tatsugiri had Dondozo's protection.

An average person would have little chance of catching one.

"Yep!"

"I'm much stronger now!"

Mei raised a fist, striking a pose to show off her strength.

But instead of looking strong, she just looked adorable.

Mei had always lacked an intimidating presence.

Her face had a naturally sweet and cute look.

Once, she had tried dressing in a cool, mature style.

The result?

Well—

Without looking at her face, the outfit was indeed stylish and imposing.

But once you saw her face, the cool aura collapsed.

Only cuteness remained.

It wasn’t a bad look—just not her style.

"Alright, then I wish you a smooth journey, Champion Mei."

"Thank you, Leader Natsume! Once I become a Champion, I'll appoint you as my first general—to fetch my deliveries."

"Looking forward to it."

The two bantered as usual.

There was no sorrow or reluctance in their farewell.

After all, it was the modern era.

If they missed each other, they could just video call.

It wasn’t like ancient times, where separation meant never seeing each other again.

"Make sure to visit often!"

At the farm's entrance, Natsume smiled at Mei, who was ready to go.

"Sheesh, you sound like a lonely old man."

Sticking out her tongue, Mei teased him.

Was his next line going to be: "Being busy is good, staying busy is best"?

"Don't worry, I'll probably hit a wall at some point."

"When that happens, I’ll come running back to cry to you."

With her hands behind her back, Mei hopped playfully like a little deer.

"Great! I'll record it as your blac***** material."

"Then I'll hijack your phone and read your browsing history out loud."

"Sorry, I always use incognito mode."

Chuckling, Natsume pulled out a necklace from inside his collar.

Hanging from it was a Lunar Wing he had been wearing for some time.

Taking it off, he placed it around Mei’s neck.

"I don’t have a special gift for you, so let this serve as a stand-in."

"I’ll have a proper one ready for when you return."

Feeling the warmth spreading from her chest, Mei gently pressed her lips together.

"Natsume, come here for a second."

"Lower your head."

She beckoned with her hand, motioning for Natsume to come closer.

"Hmm? What is it…?"

Already having a vague idea of what was coming, Natsume lowered his head.

The next second, a soft, warm sensation landed on his lips.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl in that moment.

"I'm off now! Don't miss me!"

After what felt like an eternity, Mei, who had been standing on her tiptoes, quickly steadied herself before dashing away.

Without looking back, she ran far into the distance, waving a hand behind her. Her clear, lively voice carried over from afar.

She absolutely didn’t have the courage to turn around right now!

"Take care on the road."

Standing at the farm gate, Natsume watched Mei's figure until it completely disappeared from sight before finally turning to head back.

And then…

"Mew~"

"Meow."

"Umma umma~"

A group of Pokémon that had been secretly peeking from behind the trees entered Natsume’s field of vision.

Among them, Corviknight’s large frame stood out the most.

You little punk, your entire body is practically out in the open.

Your stealth skills get a solid zero from me.

"What are you all staring at? Keep gawking, and no one's getting dinner tonight!"

Natsume feigned a fierce expression.

The Pokémon who had been sneaking a look immediately scattered in all directions.

Before leaving, Emolga even stuck out a foot to trip Persian, attempting a sneaky one-on-one takedown of the "green tea cat."

"Seriously…"

The fierce expression on Natsume’s face barely lasted a few seconds before completely falling apart.

Feeling the lingering warmth still on his lips, Natsume couldn't help but notice—

His heart was beating just a little bit faster.